Chapter 231: Meeting with Aunt 4

It took some time, but Aria finally managed to calm down.

The tension that had gripped her slowly dissipated, and as she rubbed her eyes slightly, she looked at me with a hint of embarrassment shadowing her features.

"S-sorry," she stammered nervously, her head downcast. Yet, despite her attempt to mask it, the telltale flush in her ears betrayed her true emotions. It was clear to me that she was more embarrassed than nervous.

Instinctively, I reached out and gently patted her head, hoping to further soothe her frayed nerves. Offering her a kind smile, I reassured her, "It's okay."

Aria's lips curved into a slight smile in response to my gesture of understanding. With a subtle straightening of her posture, she indicated that she was beginning to regain her composure. Sensing that the moment was right, I decided to broach the subject that had been weighing on my mind.

"Aria... how did you come here?"

Her expression shifted slightly, a mixture of hesitation and resolve flickering in her eyes. Taking a somewhat deep breath, she seemed to gather her thoughts before responding.

There was a sense of contemplation in her gaze as she met my eyes, hinting at the complexity of her emotions. Finally, she began to speak, her voice steady yet tinged with vulnerability.

"Well, it's because..." she started, her words trailing off momentarily as she searched for the right way to articulate her experiences.

Gradually, she found her voice, and with each word, she began to explain everything to me....

Summarizing everything she said, it seemed that Aria's curiosity had led her to seek me out, especially considering my sudden appearance in a distant location.

She also expressed a desire to discuss my true identity, although her reasons appeared somewhat convoluted and jumped from one point to another.

Nonetheless, it was evident from her rapid speech that she was simply nervous.

The revelation that her staff possessed the ability to teleport its user to her and vice versa left me astounded.

The staff of Estelle surpassed my expectations in terms of power and capability.

The mere thought of such teleportation abilities showcased the immense potential inherent within the staff.

In the hands of a skilled and cunning mage, its versatility could render them virtually unstoppable.

The array of buffs it provided only added to its allure.

As I pondered the implications of this newfound knowledge, a fleeting thought crossed my mind.

'Should I have entrusted the staff to Lilliana instead?' However, upon reflection, I dismissed the notion.

'Nah....'

The fact that the staff had chosen Aria as its master suggested that fate had intervened in her favor from the beginning, guiding her toward becoming its rightful wielder.

"So basically, you came here because you were worried for me...?" I asked, trying to grasp the underlying motive behind Aria's unexpected appearance.

"In a sense, yes..." she replied, her tone tinged with a hint of sadness. Momentarily, she lowered her head, but her gaze soon met mine once more. "T-that's right, it's your fault that I came here!" she exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger in my direction.

I nearly let out a laugh at the absurdity of her statement. Here was this beautiful woman, placing blame on me so suddenly. It was baffling, to say the least.

Despite her attempt to shift the blame, her embarrassment was palpable. The flush in her cheeks and the reddening of her ears only served to enhance her charm. Instead of appearing fearful, she came across as endearingly cute.

Although I was tempted to offer an excuse, deep down, I knew that her presence here was, in fact, my doing. As she continued to list unreasonable reasons for her arrival, I couldn't help but sigh and chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, her gaze a mixture of anger and embarrassment. It was evident that she believed I wasn't taking her seriously.

I couldn't help but find amusement in her acknowledgment of her own unreasonableness.

'Well, I guess it's good that she understands how unreasonable she's being with me right now'

"Nothing..." I said to her casually, attempting to quell any lingering tension in the air. Taking a decisive step, I reached out and gently clasped her hand in mine, drawing her attention.

"Aria," I said, catching her off guard with both my gesture and my sudden address. Despite her initial surprise, she accepted my hand without protest, her eyes fixed on me, awaiting my next words.

"Would you like to meet my aunt?" I asked, a warm smile gracing my lips.

"Huh...?" Aria's expression shifted to one of bewilderment, as if my suggestion was entirely unexpected given the circumstances. Yet, rather than reacting negatively, she merely looked at me with an expression that bordered on incredulity. I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.

It was perhaps a bit sooner than anticipated, but I realized that now was as good a time as any to reveal the truth about myself and my family to Aria.

If this situation was bound to arise eventually, it was best to address it head-on.

However, I also understood the potential consequences of Aria meeting my aunt.

The revelation could shatter her world.

With that in mind, I knew that a sudden meeting wasn't the answer.

There were safer ways for Aria to encounter my aunt without risking her well-being.

Drawing her closer to me, I pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Mmph...?"

Aria's muffled sound of surprise escaped her lips as I leaned in to kiss her.

Despite her initial astonishment, she responded to my kiss with acceptance, allowing our breaths to intertwine as our rhythm synchronized.

Our tongues engaged in a passionate dance, clashing against each other in a fervent exchange.

I had intended for the kiss to be gentle, but Aria's assertiveness took me by surprise.

She pressed herself against me eagerly, her hunger evident in the way she responded.

I couldn't help but marvel at her fervor, momentarily forgetting the purpose of our embrace.

Disorientation clouded her thoughts as she struggled to recall how she ended up here. The last thing she remembered was kissing Adrian...

"Wh-where am I?"

Blinking away the remnants of sleep, Aria took stock of her surroundings.

She found herself seated on a sizable chair, facing a medium-sized table adorned with various items.

Among them, a peculiar black rectangular object caught her attention, its surface gleaming under the ambient light.

Nestled beside it was a pink pocket, adding a splash of color to the otherwise monochromatic scene.

Then the black rectangular object suddenly lit up as it made a ding sound before going black once more.

Driven by curiosity, Aria reached out and grasped the black rectangular object.

As her fingertips made contact, the device sprung to life, its surface illuminated by strange letters and symbols.

A jolt of surprise shot through her, causing her to release her grip abruptly.

Tuck...!

The device clattered to the floor with a loud thud, drawing the attention of the surrounding people momentarily.

They cast puzzled glances her way before returning to their own conversations, seemingly dismissing her presence as inconsequential.

Confusion gnawed at Aria as she struggled to comprehend the surreal scene unfolding before her.

Caught off guard by the stares of the surrounding crowd, Aria instinctively sought to shield herself from their scrutiny.

Hastily, she glanced down at her own attire, expecting to find herself still clad in her nightdress amidst the unfamiliar throng.

However, to her bewilderment, she discovered that she was dressed, albeit in a fashion that left her feeling exposed.

Aria's eyes widened in disbelief as she took in her outfit—a white shirt that barely covered the upper portion of her body, leaving her midriff exposed, paired with snug blue pants that seemed to meld seamlessly with her skin. It was a stark departure from her usual attire, and she couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort that washed over her.

"What's going on? Where am I?" Aria wondered, her mind swirling with fear and confusion. The people around her, clad in similarly unfamiliar garments, only added to her sense of disorientation.

To her left, Aria noticed a sizable transparent pane, its surface reflecting the ambient light.

Curiosity piqued, she reached out to touch it, her fingertips grazing the cool surface.

As her touch registered, her eyes widened in astonishment, the realization dawning upon her—she was staring out of a large, see-through window, the world beyond stretching out into, an unknown place...

She thought she was just seeing things, but as she peered outside, a surreal scene unfolded before her eyes.

The streets teemed with a diverse array of people, bustling amidst towering lampposts adorned with ever-shifting hues of red, green, and yellow.

Women clad in attire strikingly similar to her own bustled about, accompanied by individuals leisurely strolling with their pets.

Curiously, most of them seemed fixated on the black rectangular object she had inadvertently dropped just a few moments ago.

Adding to the bewildering sight were carriages gliding noiselessly, bereft of any horses to pull them.

Yet, what truly astonished her were the colossal skyscrapers that loomed like titans, their summits seemingly brushing against the very clouds.

Aria's heart quickened its pace as confusion engulfed her, her mind struggling to make sense of the bizarre scenario unfolding before her.

Despite the mounting perplexity, Aria maintained her composure, her noble upbringing forbidding her from succumbing to panic in the face of adversity.

However, the overwhelming transformation of her surroundings proved too much for the young woman to bear.

'Adrian, help!' Her mind instinctively reached out to the one person she believed could offer solace amidst the chaos.

"Sorry, the line took longer than I thought," a voice suddenly broke through the chaos, drawing Aria's attention to her side.

A man stood before her, balancing a tray of food in his hands.

His eyes then set on the black rectangular object she dropped.

Aria's gaze flickered from the man to the black rectangular object lying on the floor beside her.

"You dropped your phone, Aria," the man informed her, his voice calm and reassuring as he knelt down to retrieve it.

As he settled back into his seat opposite her, he returned the phone to her side slightly chuckling at her clumsiness.

"What's wrong?"

Aria listened intently to his voice, her heart racing with each passing moment.

Thump...!

Thump...!

Though the face before her was unfamiliar, there was a sense of familiarity that tugged at her senses.

It was as if her intuition recognized the person standing before her, despite the differences in appearance.

"Adrian...?" she ventured tentatively, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man, with his white hair and ashen gray eyes, met her gaze with a hint of surprise before breaking into a warm smile.

"Nice to meet you, Aria...." he replied gently, his words imbued with sincerity.

Though their encounter was not their first, for Aria, it felt like an entirely new experience, as if every moment with him was unfolding for the first time.